Triforce Shards
by anime animal
Summary: A collection of one shots covering all things Zelda. Ideas and suggestions for future chapters gratefully received and welcomed.
1. Duty

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda._

A.N: Having seen a mass of one-shot anthologies in various fandoms, I thought I'd have a go at my own. This also stems from the current limbo status of the zeldadrabble community on LiveJournal, which needs to be brought back to life.

1. Duty

She doesn't like that, after generations, one of her clan has failed so dismally that everything her family and people once stood for has crumbled to ash around her.

The night after they ran, she sat outside her hideaway staring bleakly into the inky blackness of the sky and just wondering how she could possibly have got it so very, very wrong.

"Your duty," her father had once told her, "is to be loyal to your blood and _never _leave your post."

He would be turning in his grave after his only daughter had disappeared into the night astride a pearly grey charger, leaving Hyrule Castle to burn behind her. Her ancestors, should she ever be reunited with them, would never forgive her.

_No,_ she tells herself, _you have to stop wallowing in self-pity. There are more important things at stake here than the pride of your people._

She straightens and returns to the little house that hides behind a curtain of ivy and branches. Her face betrays no trace of the emotions waging war inside her as she opens the door. There is a sudden catching of breath, followed by an exhalation of relief as she closes it behind her.

"I thought you were…"

She kneels before the pale, frightened little girl who is trying so desperately hard to be brave.

"I will never let them come for you, princess. You have my word."

Looking at her charge's face, Impa understands that some things are more important than expectations.


	2. Sleep

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda_

A.N. This is actually a drabble I wrote that was the joint winner of zeldadrabble's second contest, whose theme was the same as this chapter's name.

2. Sleep

I sit and watch you while you sleep, taking time to brood over the events that have led up to this exact moment in time, this blink of time's eyelid. The seconds pass, the minutes, the hours, and still you are sleeping, still you are at peace while all you know and care for are suffering. Do you have any idea that your home is in turmoil, that the town you were so enchanted by has been destroyed? Do you even know that I am here?

No-one knows that I come here, we'll keep it our secret.

I don't think that you would recognise yourself if you could see you; you have grown so much, you are definitely going to break hearts with looks like yours. Perhaps you might even break mine…

I had a dream about you last night.

You and I were walking together in a field bathed by the sun, and for the first time in years I was myself, I didn't have to hide my face. I glanced across at you with your sword in your hand and your face so full of energy and determination that for a moment I felt hope. Because you are our hope, you are our only hope, our salvation. Everything else has failed us so far, but we still have you.

You probably can't hear a word I'm saying, can you?

I think sometimes that I'm living in a nightmare, one from which I'll never wake. Every day I see something worse than I saw yesterday, every day the darkness swallows the sun and pollutes our world with chaos and despair. Every second you're asleep, the nightmare shows no signs of ending.

One day you'll wake up though, maybe not today but perhaps tomorrow or the day after, but I know that you _will _wake up and you _will _save us all. I hate that it's my fault, I hate that _I_ put this on your shoulders, but I hope that I'll be able to make up for my mistakes _someday…_

Until then Link, I'll stay by your side and do all that I can to make the task ahead easier for you.

I swear.


	3. Twilight

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda_

A.N. This was written last year, just as _Twilight Princess _was officially named and shown to the world at E3 '05. Being unable to download the video as I was teaching in Thailand, I doodled and drabbled instead to take the edge off my craving.

3. Twilight

The darkness outside was constrictive, smothering like the thickest of blankets on the hottest of nights. Sometimes she wondered whether it was just her imagination or whether it really was getting harder to breathe. Sometimes she didn't even care.  
She had failed.  
They had said that her birth was a good omen, that her ancestress had come again to restore the kingdom to its glory days. Those where the days when Hyrule had shone like a beacon, brighter than the noon-day sun, a goal for other kingdoms to aspire to.  
Now, they couldn't keep far enough away.  
Her kingdom was dying slowly in front of her eyes. She had failed it, failed her people, her family, her noble namesake who would surely be weeping at the squalor her carefully nurtured paradise had disintegrated into. The noon was over, now Hyrule approached its twilight, soon to be swallowed for all eternity by the oppressive darkness that she could not for all her power destroy.  
And so the Twilight Princess wept.


	4. Shadows

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda_

A.N: Written for zeldadrabble's Shadows contest.

4. Shadows

Everyone is supposed to have a dark side, right? Well I'm sure this wasn't what they were talking about, not a physical manifestation of yourself hell bent on decapitating you. And it just so happens that my shadow is the biggest pain in the backside.

_Aww, you say that as if you don't like me._

Wait a second, you can talk!

_No, I'm projecting my thoughts into your brain via telepathy, idiot. _

Great, my shadow's a smart ass.

_My goodness, it seems to have grasped the rudiments of sarcasm._

Hey, you're **my **shadow remember? Anything you can do I did first and better.

_Indeed. So is that why you're the one bleeding right now?_

…

_I thought so- ouch!_

I don't believe you've had the pleasure of meeting the Megaton Hammer.

_Where did **that **come from?_

If you're so great, you tell me.

…

Not so tough now, are you? Any last requests before I squish you into a pancake?

_You might have won the battle pretty boy, but ultimately I will win the war!_

Really? See this hammer, it's telling me differently.

_Just you wait, armies of rabid yaoi fangirls will spring to avenge me by writing you into non-con bad smut as my bitch. Mwah ha ha-_

…Crap!

_-Ha ha ha- ow! Dammit!_

One of me is enough.


	5. Love

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda_

A.N. This drabble won the zeldadrabble community's Favourite Pairing contest, so I don't need to say I'm chuffed with it.

5. Love

"She is _flirting_, Din damnit!"

"It's not flirting. It's schmoozing."

Link pouted and folded his arms, the most thunderous of expressions playing itself out across his features.

"I don't care whether you call it schmoozing, socially interacting or working the crowd. The fact is, she's smiling at that greaseball who is staring so openly at her breasts that I'm surprised he hasn't lost his nose in her cleavage."

Impa rolled her eyes and followed Link's gaze in the direction of the princess and the group of noblemen she was entertaining. Indeed, one of the elder ones was paying particular attention to Zelda's chest and it was a miracle that Link's self-control had been able to hold out as long as it was proving to do. Zelda happened to glance across at Impa, offered her the faintest of perceptible shrugs and then smiled sympathetically at her.

"She could hardly slap him in front of a crowded room, could she?"

"She doesn't have to. If he doesn't stop staring _I'm_ going to slap him."

At that point, the lady in question laughed merrily and Impa had to physically restrain him.

"Would you kindly calm down or please go outside. I won't have you causing a scene."

"A scene? Would I ever cause a scene?"

He offered the Sheikah his best innocent grin, which slipped away as soon as she glared in its direction.

"OK, so perhaps I wouldn't handle it as delicately as you'd like me to, but my lady's honour is at stake and I must defend it!"

_My honour is quite safe, thank you. Will you please try to look less murderous, it's making the guests nervous._

Zelda's voice echoed in his head and once again he remembered the curse/blessing of being intimately involved with a telepath.

_He's staring at your chest._

Zelda's eyebrows rose, just slightly, before she put her arms behind her back and...

_Now you're practically shoving them in his face!_

Impa looked slightly surprised at the sound that Link had begun to make.

"Are you... grinding your teeth?"

"No," he replied through bared teeth, when it was plain that he was. "She's doing this on purpose."

"I hardly think that the Queen of all Hyrule would possibly deign it important to make you jealous on purpose."

"I am _not _jealous!"

"Really?" She arched an eyebrow. "You're doing a very good impression of it."

Zelda's laughter, as clear and sonorous as a golden bell, rang around the reception hall as she responded to an anecdote one of her companions had just relayed. Link momentarily entertained a particularly gruesome fantasy anecdote that involved him bludgeoning that particular noble to death with a candelabra.

_You're sulking._

_I am _**_not._**

_I suppose I ought to be flattered that you are so very protective of me. I can take care of myself, you know._

_I know you can. It's only certain parts of you that I'm worried about, particularly when I'm the only male in the room who is entitled to enjoy them._

He tried not to laugh when he saw the frown on her face. Really he did. Only she looked so adorable when she frowned, and he couldn't help but chuckle. Impa raised her eyes to the heavens and made some excuse about wanting to talk to Nabooru, therefore leaving the 'not-jealous' Hero of Time to contemplate the mysteries of life, the universe and his exclusive rights to the Queen of Hyrule's personage.

_You're such a pig._

_But you love me._

He didn't need to look at her to see the enormous, despairing sigh that was sure to follow.

_Against all my better judgement and the Triforce of Wisdom I suppose I do, yes._


	6. Innocence

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda._

A.N: Theme requested by Bonnie Lass of the Outback. She wanted more Impa, specifically Chibi Impa and I was powerless to resist.

6. Innocence

Zelda's body hit the tree trunk behind her with a dull 'thunk' that made Impa wince. Inhaling sharply, the princess got to her feet and wiped the trickle of blood away from her mouth where she had bitten her lip on impact.

_She's just a child…_

The girl took a moment to contemplate the scarlet trail on her hand before her blue eyes narrowed in determination and she adopted her fighting stance.

"Zelda…"

"I'm fine," she retorted, irritated with her weakness. "I was lazy and I should have dodged that."

"You're tired, your body isn't used to this."

"I'm _fine_!"

Impa sighed. The changes that her charge had made in those few short months since their worlds were turned upside down were unbelievable. A few mornings after they had reached the safety of their obscure cottage hidden away near the southern border, Impa had been woken to the sight of the princess cutting off her beautiful blonde curls. The Sheikah had sprung to her feet, wide awake and fearful that the little girl she loved like her own was losing her mind. She had grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face her, terrified for what she might see Zelda's eyes. Twin blue eyes met hers, as sound and clear as they had always been, staring at her quizzically as a pale hand lowered the knife she had been using to the table.

"I want to hide myself. That man's followers will be watching for a little blonde girl." Zelda had been unable to bring herself to speak Ganondorf's name since he had killed her father. "So I will become a little blonde boy."

And here they were, months later, and Zelda had tricked Impa into teaching her how to fight. Not that Zelda being able to defend herself was a _bad _idea, per se, but in giving the girl the ability to fight, Impa knew she was giving her the knowledge that would finally kill off the last piece of the girl's innocence.

Impa remembered the day that her childhood had truly died. She was eleven. Her father had taken her out on a misty grey morning, her hand in his, and pointed out a crowd of men in a tavern who were huddled over a table.

"These are bad men daughter, they plan to kill the king."

She remembered staring at them, the same hatred bubbling up in her chest that always rose whenever someone spoke of ill-deeds against the Royal Family. There was one man, a thin, bald man with a sharp chin and sunken, hollow looking eyes who caught her attention most profoundly. There was a scar running down from the tip of his right eyebrow to the corner of his mouth. He was sitting perfectly still, watching everything. Impa was grateful for the shadows.

"Who are you looking at, Impa?"

"The scarred man, sir."

"Good. He's the assassin. I want you to deal with him."

Impa remembered her heart skipping in fright for a moment, but she kept her features calm and followed her father to a table and drank the tea that he ordered for them both. They kept an uncomfortable silence until the assassin rose from the table and left the inn. Aware that her father's eyes were on her, Impa had followed him out quietly, sticking to the shadows just as she had been taught. Everything her father had ever told her was running through her head in an endless cycle:

_Stick to the shadows…Never let an enemy hear you coming… Breathe through your nose… You're a girl-child, no one will expect you to hurt them. Use that to your advantage… The life of the Royal Family holds one hundred times the merit of yours…Failure will **not** be tolerated._

The man had been browsing a market stall, caught in a crowd of people, but Impa never took her eyes from him. Her throwing needles were hidden in her right hand beneath her cloak. In one instant, the man had turned around and his throat was perfectly exposed…

Impa had frozen -just for a second- and then she had thrown.

The needles hit their target.

The man fell silently into the crowd, blood bubbling over his lips, and Impa had fled back to the inn. Her father had been waiting, his face grim but his eyes proud. Impa had cried herself to sleep and given all her toys away the next day.

She had never wanted Zelda to have to follow in those footsteps.

"Impa, please…"

Zelda was staring at her, bright eyes still so wide and innocent even though she had seen more horrors in those past few months than any child should have to see in their lifetime. Defeated, Impa sighed.

"Alright then."


	7. Smitten

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda._

A.N. Written with my fat ginger baby in mind. It's our nine year anniversary on November 1st!

7. Smitten

All it had taken was one look and he was gone.

Her eyes were big and beautiful, he could see himself reflected in their depths. She had such long eyelashes too, thick and fluttery and the same colour as her vibrant red hair.

Of course she had been shy at first, running away from his advances and looking coyly at him over her shoulder, but then again he had no experience and didn't know how to conduct himself. He had worked hard to gain her trust, and when he had…

Nothing would tear them apart.

He loved to kiss her too, she had the most velvety soft skin and she smelt so good too. She loved kissing him back, and they tickled like crazy.

"You know," Navi commented wryly as she watched him fawn over his girl one day, "she isn't really worth all your obsessing."

Link shot the fairy a venomous glare and hugged the object of his fawning.

"Don't you listen to her Epona. You're my number one girl and you always will be."

The mare snorted and continued to nibble on her master's hair.

oOo

The baby who I refer to is my own answer to Epona, Chance aka. Pooh. She's nothing special or terribly beautiful, but she's mine and always will be. She's 19 years old and still kicking arse. Chestnut mares FTW.

This is _not_ bestiality. I may be a horse lover, but not in _that _way.


	8. Waiting

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda_

AN: There's not enough Wind Waker fiction out there. Go forth and write it! (_Oh wait, I suppose that applies to me too…oops _)

8. Waiting

She sits there waiting, but she knows that every second that passes slowly depletes the chances of him returning to her safely. The rain is hammering against the windows like a myriad of shingle pieces, rattling the glass in its panes and echoing around the room. A rumble of thunder, and the house shakes on its stilts. She shivers, stoking the fire with a poker until the flames are licking hungrily at the dry tinder.

In her cradle, the baby stirs a little and gives her mother a moment of apprehension but it is uncalled for. She is safe, she is lying there awaiting the return of her father like her mother is. Her little boy calls out for her and she gets up, going over to the bunk where he is sitting up, big green eyes wide and alarmed.

"Mama, it's too loud."

He is only five and looks terrified, but he is a brave child and will never try to upset her by being scared. His hair is standing up at odd angles, the colour of sand and sunshine.

"I know it is my love," she tells him, smoothing his hair back. "But it's only the wind and rain, there is nothing to be afraid of."

"I'm not afraid," he replies, rubbing the sleep from his eyes with the heels of his hands. "But I don' want Aryll to be scared."

She smiles; ever since the baby was born he has been fiercely protective of her, more than ever when his father is away at sea.

"I promised Papa I'd protect her," he says gravely. "I'm the man of the house, he said, and I've gots to protect you n' Aryll. That's what big boys do."

Myrna laughs and scoops her son into a hug.

"Yes Link it is. Would you like to come and sit by the fire with me?"

He nods, locking his arms around her neck and burying his face against her neck as she walks back to the fire. She sits and wraps her shawl around him as well, kissing the top of his head.

"When's Papa comin' back?" he asks.

"Soon," she assures him, knowing that as long as she believes he will be back then he will- Gaiden has never let her down before.

"Good," Link says sleepily, trying to bite back a yawn. "I don' like it when he's gone."

Neither does Myrna, but she won't tell him that.


	9. Inferior

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda._

9. Inferior

"I will take over the world. Don't look at me that way, you know I will. Of course I haven't had as much practice as _you _have, but just give me a while. You know your game's up, pal. I'm better than you. I look better, I'm younger, I'm smarter than you and I don't resort to the same tactic when I make my attempts to take over Hyrule. You say you're the king? Well I'm the _emperor._ The shogun. The maharaja. The president. The greatest source of evil that the world has ever known. There's no-one better than me."

"Except of course, for a hat. And me."

"…"

"I at least have never been beaten by an inanimate object."

"But you've failed more times than I have!"

"Only because I've been at it longer than you. And I won once too, by the way."

"…Well, I have fangirls!"

A sigh.

"You're saying I don't? I have _canon _fangirls, kid, and they're going nowhere."

"People will get bored of you."

"Is that so? Then why is it always asked if I will be in every new game that's announced?"

"My fanbase is growing! You know your time is up, old man."

"Vaati…"

"Yes?"

"You're less than two inches tall. I could crush you with my shoe."

"You wouldn't."

"Ah Vaati, that is the difference between you and I. _I _am the King of Evil."

Thud.

"That's _precisely_ what I _would_ do."

It was then Vaati realised that the Evil Realm really was too small for his ego to coexist with Ganon's.


	10. Phobia

Triforce Shards

_A collection of one-shots covering all things Zelda._

A.N. Crack. Pure unadulterated crack. I am irrationally convinced that OoT Link is not a cat-person. I have no basis for this conviction, he just isn't. This cat also features in Vagabond, and is based on the most evil cat in the world: Stumpy the Bailey House cat.

10. Phobia.

At the age of fifteen, Link liked to believe that he had the ability to face any evil and overcome it with little damage to his person or those that he felt honour bound to protect. After all, having faced the epitome of all that is evil at the tender age of ten/seventeen inspires one with the sort of confidence that enables a person to say 'hey, no biggy,' when faced with a giant fire breathing dragon or power hungry ogre. Compared to Ganondorf, these would-be fiends paled into the something of a mediocre chore which the slightly restless Hero of Time would swiftly dispatch before lunchtime and an afternoon round of 'torment the castle guards' with Zelda looking on in pseudo disapproval.

Yes, Link liked to think of himself as pretty unshakable in the face of danger, but even with the enormous ego that accompanied success he continued to be alert to any new threat that endangered his- no- Hyrule's princess, the Sacred Realm and Hyrule itself.

This afternoon saw Link in Hyrule Castle, much like any typical afternoon really, only this time he was unable to shake the feeling that he was being watched. He swiftly discarded his half eaten apple and sharpened his perceptions. Five years of swordsmanship and adventuring had taught him to always, always be prepared for the worst, even if the worst should prove to be…

A particularly ugly orange cat.

Link knew full well that there was no such thing as an 'orange' cat, Zelda had made that quite clear when explaining to him how to refer to animal colourings- woe betide anyone who referred to a grey horse as white in the princess' presence, as she had quite forcefully explicated that there was no such thing- but there was no way that this cat qualified as ginger. It was, well, orange. It was also squat with a revolting saggy belly, not fat, just sagging bits of skin by the look of things, and it had the most peculiar expression on its rather unsightly face that closely resembled what Link would call a sneer. Its yellow eyes seemed to squinting at him in an unimpressed manner while its fur slowly began to bristle as a strange growling noise came from its throat. There was one thought in Link's mind as he warily regarded this creature:

_Dear gods, that thing's uglier than Ganon._

And then, out of the hyperactive recesses of Link's psyche, there sprang a name.

Ganoncat.


End file.
